Surf Shirts Go Hi-Tech

New water repellent fabric rashguards and surf shirts allow surfers to stay better insulated and more comfortable.

Most rashguards and surf shirts manufactured for surfing and other action waters sports shops are viewed as little more than an afterthought, tacked onto an order from a wet suit manufacturer’s sales rep or ordered from the back pages of a catalogue.   

Although popular with those eager to protect themselves from the immediate risk of sunburn in the tropics or the long term specter of skin cancer, these shirts seem simple enough to the uninitiated.  Whether it’s a tight stretch lycra rashguard or a nylon surf shirt for those who like a looser fit, only brand names and colors otherwise separate one from another.   

But sun protection is only part of the water sports story.  New, high tech water repellent products are now hitting the market that not only protects against the sun, but also the one element that can make even the most avid water sports enthusiast shiver: the wind. 

With water sports such as surfing, paddling, kite surfing, wakeboarding, and wake surfing no matter what the temperature in Indonesia, the Caribbean, Latin Americas or Hawaii when the wind is blowing and you’re out for a couple hours, you’re feeling the chill and ready to call it a day.  It doesn’t take a physics lesson to understand that a wet, soggy shirt exposed to anything above the mildest of winds results in major cooling – much the same principle as why we humans all sweat. 

One company has responded with new technology that has turned the surf shirt business on its head, with a high-tech fabric that can repel water and provide maximum UV protection.  KoreDry, from Victory Tropiskin, features a revolutionary advance that allows water to bead up and fall off.  The fibers of the fabric are embedded with a proprietary water repellant process so they stay dry at the fiber core. The result is a shirt that provides insulation from hot and cold, doesn’t cling and dries as soon as you get out of the water. 

Victory Tropiskin makes KoreDry garments of various styles in both a nylon lycra stretch fabric that fits like a rashguard, and a 100 percent nylon non-stretch fabric designed for a loose fit.   

If the Victory name sounds familiar, that is because it has quite a pedigree in the surf industry – Victory Wetsuits has been a major pioneer in the industry since 1978.   

Only an in-person demonstration can truly do justice to the water repellent nature of this proprietary fabric.  This is no light beading; these are major globules of water that roll around on the shirt like mercury from a broken thermometer. 

Tak Kawahara, who operates CHP Surf in Redondo Beach, California, knew he’d found a winner three years ago when he tested KoreDry surf shirts and rashguards.

“The proof is definitely in the product.  If you are a comfort creature, it’s a practical garment, because with KoreDry you really can be comfortably warm out there,” he said. 

Kawahara said the new fabric is a major improvement over T-shirts and standard spandex rashguards, which take in and hold water.  “What you end up with is a soaking wet garment.  It’s pretty harsh to have the cold material against your body” he said.  “I have a lot of customers come back and buy it for gifts or kids.  It really does what it says it will do.”

On the island of Oahu, clothing buyer and surfer Ryan Sugihara said KoreDry is likely, among other things, to unite sun worshippers because the fabric is 99% protective against damaging rays. 

Sugihara, who buys for all eight T & C Surf Design shops, also likes the product because he believes it will enjoy a wide appeal.  Kayakers, surfers, boaters, rafters, paddlers and so on will benefit from the water-repellant breakthrough.   But so will tourists with kids who may not surf, snorkel or paddle, but like to splash in the water.

“Tourists aren’t surfers, but they’re jumping in the water and want some sun and wind protection,” he said.   “And, of course, there’s always going to be that customer who is just interested in buying the best thing.   They want the newest thing that is totally different from the average products.”

Doubters and skeptics beware.   Sugihara said he doesn’t hesitate to put his product to the test – in his stores – by pouring bottled water on the fabric.  “We play with it.  We poured on water and you can see it’s just not absorbing,” he said.

Sugihara said KoreDry products are priced about $7 more than the average standard rashguard, which hover in the $28-$30 range.   That may be too high for some buyers, but not enough to keep the products from scooting out the door.  “This product is more expensive, but it by far leads the pack,” he said.

Lee Gerachis, owner of Malibu’s Surf Shop in Ocean City, Maryland, has seen the product outsell any other rashguard regardless of the price.  “The sales have gone through the roof, it is especially appealing to the older crowd. My advice to stores, bring it in, it sells.”

For more information about KoreDry  products contact Victory TropiSkin  18281 Enterprise Lane, CA. 92648;  (888) 8 SURFIN; Or visit our website at http://www.victorytropiskin.com